Caramel Sauce

Drizzled caramel sauce over ice cream tastes like a treat made in heaven! And the best caramel sauce is homemade. Did you know how easy it is to make? Check out the three methods and you will have no problem making this great topping for sliced apples, apple pie, gingerbread, bread pudding or licking from the spoon. Oops, I didn’t mean that last one 😉

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Caramel Sauce

Oven Method

Pour one can sweetened condensed milk into 9-inch pie plate. 

Cover with pie pan with aluminum foil and place in larger shallow pan. 

Fill larger pan with hot water. Bake at 425ºF for 1 hour or until thick and caramel-colored. 

Remove the caramel from the water bath.

It will look like this.

Use a whisk to stir the caramel until smooth and it will thicken as it cools.

Stove top Method

Pour one can sweetened condensed milk into top of a double boiler; place over boiling water. As you can see I did not use a double broiler which I wish I had. I placed a larger pot over a smaller pot and proceeded. I don’t recommend this especially since the liquid is very hot and could cause burns if spilled. A double broiler is on my wish list.

 Over low to medium-low heat, simmer the milk 1  1/2 hours or until thick and caramel-colored, stirring occasionally.

After the 1 1/2 hours the caramel sauce looked like this, a little too thin.

So I cooked an additional 15 minutes until it was a little thicker when drizzled from a spoon.

Stir or whisk until smooth and carefully pour the caramel sauce into a serving container or jar for storage. Allow to cool completely before covering.

Microwave method

Pour one can sweetened condensed milk into 2-quart glass measuring cup. 

Cook on MEDIUM (50% power) 4 minutes… 

stirring briskly every 2 minutes until smooth. 

Cook on MEDIUM_LOW (30% power) 20 to 25 minutes or until very thick and caramel-colored…

stirring briskly every 4 minutes during the first 16 minutes and every 2 minutes during the last 4 to 10 minutes. NOTE: microwaves vary so cooking times might need adjusting. I added an extra 4 minutes, stirring briskly at the two minute interval. It depends also on the thickness you desire. Less cooking time will produce a thinner caramel and longer cooking time will create a thicker version.

Carefully pour into jar(s) and allow to cool.

I have to say I prefer the microwave method. It is fast and very easy. Just take great care lifting the bowl of caramel in and out of the microwave especially if yours is located over the stove. 

Slow Cooker method

I have not tried this method but thought I would share if you would like to.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Find an oven-safe dish to insert into your stoneware. You can use individual ramekins or a casserole dish. Carefully pour water all around the dish, until the water reaches three-quarters of the way up the sides of the dish. Open the cans of sweetened condensed milk and pour into the inserted dish(es). Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Sweet Food Gift Idea

Gifts from the kitchen are gifts from the heart. Show some love by giving a jar of your homemade caramel sauce to a friend or co-worker. Add a colorful ribbon and add a couple of fresh apples and  maybe a spoon if you want. Surprise someone who could use a little thinking-of-you gift. The recipe yields two smallish-size jars. Recycled jam jars are perfect as are mason canning jars.

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